Placebos

A placebo is a dummy treatment, a tablet, injection or some other formulation that contains no medicine. It can be a sugar pill masquerading as a painkiller, a moisturizing cream pretending to cure wrinkles or a wristband designed to improve balance. They share one thing in common - they should be useless. But they aren't. A placebo can often relieve pain and improve mood, they are able to treat arthritis and insomnia, offer relief from anxiety and depression, and sometimes even improve fertility.

No-one knows exactly why they sometimes work as well as real ones. It probably has something to do with what we want to believe: sham treatments work best when we pay a lot of money for them or consult an 'expert' to receive it. Interestingly, the type of tablet can make a difference: big, colourful pills always work better than small, plain ones. But there's more: yellow pills are best for treating depression, blue pills are good for insomnia and white tablets ease indigestion. Placebo injections are better than empty capsules for pain and a big 'healing' machine that goes 'ping!' works better than the lot.

There must be more than simple self-belief. Seeing a doctor or therapist is healing in its own right. That relationship and decision to take action can lower anxiety levels and reduce stress hormones. But they should never be used as a replacement for prescribed medicines.

Placebos only seem to be effective in about 4 out of 10 people - and we can't tell in advance who those will be. Finally, the placebo effect can also work even when people are told they are placebos. For example, when doctors prescribed sugar pills for patients with irritable bowel syndrome, fully explaining that they weren't real medicines and giving out the pills in a jar labelled 'placebo' - most patients had significant relief from their symptoms.

Dr Stuart Farrimond, Wiltshire Times 13 June 2014

French Beans

Sow: Not frost hardy and need 12 degrees C to germinate. Sow in March in pots inside (4 weeks before safe to sow outside) or April/May direct in soil. Make a second sowing 6 to 9 weeks later.

Aspect: Light but rich soil in sunny, sheltered spot.

Care: Dwarf varieties may still need some support. Climbers need 4ft to 5ft of support but are not as vigorous as runner beans.

Water: When flowing starts if weather is dry.

Harvest: As soon as ready, even if there are only a few beans, otherwise flowering will stop. Leave roots i soil when clearing this crop, in order to gain nitrogen.

Don't grow by: Tomatoes, peppers, onions, brassicas and beetroot.

Energy Drinks

The use of energy drinks has reached endemic levels in children, and health professionals are concerned. So what's in these drinks? Firstly they are sweet - about 14 sugar lumps per serving, so just empty calories. A pleasant tangy aftertaste comes from acid added by manufacturers; the acidity level can be anything from sourer than a grapefruit (pH 2.7) to battery acid (pH 1.5). Drink enough of this every day and not only will your dentist be worried, but evidence shows that bones will gradually weaken, putting drinkers at risk of osteoporosis.

While these factors can be true of other fizzy drinks, energy drinks have a high caffeine content as well. A single can of energy drink can contain the same caffeine as three cups of instant coffee. While this may not affect an adult much, it is too much for a child all in one go. Youngsters will more readily experience caffeine's side effects: shakes, agitation, palpitations, indigestion, inability to sleep and aggression. Caffeine also changes the shape of brain cells - making them more spiky. The long-term impact on a child's brain is completely unknown.

There are other things in an energy drink, usually with impressive sounding names, but current research shows that most of these ingredients do absolutely nothing other than sound impressive.

Dr Stuart Farrimond, Wiltshire Times 23 May 2014

Runner Beans

Sow: In April in pots - 2 seeds to a pot, if both germinate, don't separate but plant together. In May direct in the soil. In mid-summer for an autumn crop.

Aspect: Sunny and sheltered from strong winds. Will grow in partial shade. Soil needs plenty of organic matter and kept moist.

Care: Shoots twine anti-clockwise. Needs 5ft to 6ft supports (try using an old wooden-framed sun parasol 'skeleton' as a support). Pinch out tips when they reach the top of the support. Better to stop tall varieties or pinch out tips and grow as dwarf bushes than sowing dwarf varieties.

Water: Thirsty plants, so water regularly in dry weather, giving a generous soaking once a week.

Harvest: Pick when 6" to 7" long and pick regularly to maintain cropping. If going away, pick every bean (even the smallest) and flower to ensure continuing crop when you return.

Don't grow by: Tomatoes, peppers, onions, brassicas and beetroot.

Make-up for Sensitive Skins

For those people whose skins reacts to ingredients in major cosmetic brands, there are some alternatives around.

• Clinique and Boots No 7 range both offer hypoallergenic products.
• Mineral make-up: virtually no allergy risk, anti-inflammatory for sensitive skin, and natural sunscreen. Brands: LilyLoLo, Jane Iredale, Purity Cosmetics.
• Green People lipstick.

Other tips are:

• Cold milk is an effective make-up remover.

Various sources

Antibiotic Know How

Antibiotic-resistant infections are now a major threat to public health, making urinary and lung infections more difficult to treat. So what can we do?

• Re-think your reliance on antibiotics. If you are normally healthy, the best treatment for everyday flu-like symptoms is to rest and take fluids and pain relief for three days. Call your GP if you start to feel very unwell or if you start to recover but then feel worse on day four. Be vigilant with children, young people and the elderly.
• If your GP thinks antibiotics may be necessary but you'd rather do without, ask for a post-dated prescription you can use if symptoms don't improve. But never hesitate to take antibiotics if they're needed - there still the best defence we have.

Good Housekeeping, November 2013

Herb and Spice Shelf Life

An awful lot of half-used herbs, spices, condiments and sauces are thrown away needlessly every year.

• Keep dried herbs and spices in airtight containers. They should last years, though the flavour won't be as strong. 
• Freeze small quantities of sauce, such as pesto, into ice cube trays. They can then be added straight from the freezer into cooking.
• Bag up fresh herbs and freeze them to use when you need them.
• Most cut soft herbs keep for longer stored at room temperature with their stems in water, rather than in their packs in the fridge.

Various sources

Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. It is mainly made by the liver but can also be found in some foods.


Total cholesterol. This is a measure of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and other lipid components.
LDL (low density lipoprotein cholesterol).  LDL carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as "bad cholesterol".
HDL (high density lipoprotein cholesterol). HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as "good cholesterol" and higher levels are better.
Triglycerides (fats carried in the blood from the food we eat. Excess calories, alcohol or sugar in the body are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout the body.)

The NHS says for healthy adults:
Total cholesterol should be 5.0 millimoles per litre (mmol/l) or lower. The average in the UK is actually around 5.5 mmol/l for men and 5.6 mmol/l for women.
LDL cholesterol should be 3mmol/L or lower
HDL level above 1 mmol/l
Triglyceride level under 1.7 mmol/l

People with higher risks, such as heart disease or high blood pressure will be set lower targets:
Total cholesterol of 4mmol/L or lower
LDL of 2mmol/L or lower
Cholesterol numbers are used to calculate the overall risk of coronary heart disease.

The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL - total cholesterol divided by HDL - should be below 4.
Doctors will set individual cholesterol targets for patients based on their overall risk factors. Treatment may involve diet changes to cut down on bad fats, increasing exercise, or taking cholesterol lowering medication, such as statins.

Peas

Sow: In pots to prevent seed being eaten before germination. Will germinate at 4 degrees C but 10 degrees better. Sow February in pots, avoid March (to avoid pea moth) then sow April in pots or direct in soil. For maximum harvest sow (1) early type in February, (2) maincrop in April and (3) early type (quick maturing)  dwarf variety in June/July.


Aspect: Deep, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Like cool, damp days; hot weather stops flower production.

Care: All but very dwarf varieties need staking. Peas benefit from being pinched out. Can grow and over-winter crop of mangetout in a greenhouse.

Water: When in flower and pods are forming; too much water early on makes too much leaf at expense of flower.

Pest control: Autumn sowings rarely wrothwhile but guaranteed free of pea moth. Avoid sowing in March as resulting plants will flower in June/July when pea moth most active.

Harvest: Earliest sowings can be picked in May. keep picking as pods left on plants will shorten cropping season. When crop is over, cut tops at ground level, leaving roots in soil to gain nitrogen.

Don't grow by: Onions or potatoes.

Lip Colour Tips

 Here are some tips on lipsticks and glosses.

# For longer-lasting lip colour, apply lip pencil all over clean, dry lips using light, feathery strokes. Then apply your usual lipstick over the top with a brush.

# Apply lip liner in a shade identical to your natural lip colour. This prevents 'feathering' with an invisible line.

# Find a lipstick that works for you. There's no such thing as the wrong colour, only the wrong level of pigment. The perfect colour should have enough pigment to be noticeable, but not so much that it drains your face. It should glide on smoothly, but not dry lips out. The perfect pink lipstick is one that matches the colour of your gums.

# Buying a lipstick. At beauty counters, find a mirror and hold lipsticks up to your lips, rather than trying them out on the back of your hand.

# Nine times out of 10, a great lipstick should be balanced with a coat of mascara, otherwise your lips will appear too prominent.

# Stay-put party lipstick. Use a lip liner and fill in the entire lip area to give lipstick grip. Use a lip brush to apply lipstick. Build up layers by blotting with a tissue in between applications. Finish with a slightly pearlescent, satin-finish lipstick, which will be longer lasting and kiss-proof.

# Get a few more wears from your favourite near-empty lipgloss by popping the tube in a glass of warm water for 10 mins to melt the gloss from the sides.

Various sources

Beetroot

Sow: From end of March to April, then every 3 to 4 weeks. May not germinate if temperature below 7 degrees C. Pre-soaking seed for 24 hours may help germination. Sow direct in soil or in pots, in clusters.

Aspect: Greedy feeder.

Water: regularly to prevent soil drying out, which will cause plants to bolt. Over-watering will encourage leaf production instead of root growth.

Harvest: Use thinnings as salad leaves. When large enough to use - golf-ball sized ones have better flavour. Twist off foliage to avoid 'bleeding'.

Don't grow by: Beans

More on Vitamin D

What does it do? Vitamin D is present in at least 38% tissues in the body - and probably present in all of them. It is known to play an important role in the immune system, the heart and blood vessels, in the pancreas, in muscle development and strength and in brain development. A study in 2012 found it has a direct influence on 229 genes involved in disease, especially those associated with multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and type 1 diabetes. It plays a crucial role in activating our immune defences by triggering and arming the body's T cells, which seek out and destroy invading bacteria and viruses.

• Colds and Flu: Vitamin D supplements reduced the incidence of colds and flu by 70% over 3 years in US Afro-Caribbeans, who are more vulnerable to deficiency because of their dark skin.
• Heart Disease: Multi-study analysis indicated that middle-aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D in theit blood had a 43% reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. 
• Diabetes: Vitamin D supplements given to babies in Finland reduced their risk of type 1 diabetes by 80%.
• Multiple Sclerosis: There is some evidence that vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy and in the early years of life may play a role in the development of MS.
• Cancer: A growing number of research studies link low vitamin D levels with an increased risk of breast, bowel and prostate cancer. Another study found that melanoma (skin cancer) patients with the lowest vitamin D levels were 30% more likely to relapse after treatment than those with the highest levels.
• Pregnancy: A US study found that pregnant women taking very high daily doses of vitamin D were 50% less likely to experience pre-term labour, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and infections than those on the lowest dose.
• Joint health: A new study suggests living in a sunnier climate may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Asthma and Autism: Low levels of vitamin D in pregnancy have been linked with autism, and asthmatic children with low levels seem to suffer more severely.

Who is at risk? The vast majority of the UK population and especially, pregnant and breast feeding mothers, children under four, people over 64, and those with darker skin or whose skin is not exposed to the sun very much. Why? People with darker skin need more time in the sun to make the same amount of vitamin D. Older people have a reduced ability to make vitamin D. People who are obese are also at greater risk as vitamin D is fat soluble, so will be stored in the fat cells, with very little released into the bloodstream where it is needed.

Food Fortification Although vitamin D is found in some foods (oily fish, eggs, fortified margarines) we cannot get enough to from dietary sources alone. Unlike other countries, the UK has no recommended daily intake level for people aged 4 to 64 (2011). Some scientists feel we need to fortify certain foodstuffs with vitamin D - suggested foods are milk, orange juice and cereals. Vitamin D levels can be topped by supplements in tablet or liquid form.

Good Housekeeping issues August 2011, June 2013

37 Item Capsule Wardrobe

The UnFancy blog is written by Caroline. She posts daily outfits from her 37-piece wardrobe and shares how she makes minimalism work for her wardrobe. She changes her 37 piece capsule wardrobe each season, and posts details of this as well. Although you may not have the same style as Caroline, the idea is one worth considering.

Her seasonal capsule wardrobe of 37 pieces consists of 9 pairs of shoes, 9 bottoms, and 15 tops, plus 2 dresses and 2 jackets/coats. Each category is further broken down.

9 shoes = 3 pairs of flats, 3 pairs of heels, and 3 pairs of boots.

9 bottoms = 3 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of shorts, and 3 skirts.

15 tops = 3 sweaters, 3 tee shirts, 3 button up shirts, 3 tank tops, and 3 vests.

For each set of three items, choose one plain item + one crazy-fun statement item + one item that falls between the two.

Here are the links to her writings about how to get started.
Caroline's FAQs ~~ How to build a capsule wardrobe ~~ The Rule of Three ~~ Spring Wardrobe 2014 ~~ Summer Wardrobe 2014 ~~

Separating Eggs

Some people use an egg separator (a plastic device that lets the white through and keeps the yolk) while others use their hands. Here's another way you might find useful.

Break an egg into a shallow dish. Get a clean, empty plastic bottle and remove the lid. Squeeze the bottle to expel air, then place bottle opening over the yolk of the egg. Stop squeezing the bottle, and the yolk will be sucked up into the bottle. Hold bottle over a small bowl and squeeze bottle to expel yolk.

Mary Berry on Great British Bake-Off Masterclass, BBC2 October 2014.

French Parenting Tips

Why French Children Don't Talk Back by Catherine Crawford
John Murray, 2013 (ISBN: 978-1-84854-712-4)

Best to read the book as it details the experiences of raising children in France from a non-French person's viewpoint and the basic philosophy of French childcare. However, the following are the best tips though you still need to read the book to get the reasoning and how to carry it out.

1. Do not forget you are the Chief (and not a friend).
2. Do not back down. Be clear and firm on the main rules, e.g. using the car seat, bedtimes, table manners, etc.)
3. Structure / ritual creates discipline.
4. Children are tougher than you think.
5. Let the punishment fit the crime. (Crayon on the wall? Get child to wash it off for 1 minute - enough time to realise how hard it is to remove.)
6. Do not be afraid of right and wrong.
7. Don't rely on stuff (toys, clothes, sweets) as rewards to ensure good behaviour.
8. There is no need for constant attention and approval. Children have to learn to do things themselves (shoe laces, buttons) and engage in independant play.
9. If there is no blood, don't get up from the settee. Don't try and sort out their play / friend problems unless bullying, etc, is involved.
10. Teach your child to wait.
11. Teach your child to respect your needs too.
12. Remain calm in the face of tears / tantrums.
13. Send to room if criticise Mum / Dad (or for example, a meal) but allow them to express an opinion: "Sorry, I tasted it and don't like it" is ok, "That's disgusting" is not.

Some more tips.

1. Food. Get children to help in the kitchen. (Try the Saturday night spectacular: each person, including children, makes a course of the meal - starter, veg course, main course, dessert - and plans, buys ingredients and then cooks together. Lay / decorate the table and eat together.) Try themed meals. Minimal or no snacks between meals.
2. Gifts and Money. Limit presents; if children have too many toys, they don't play with all of them. Keep birthday celebrations small. Few French children have an allowance; they are expected to do chores as part of the family, usually without payment. If paying for some chores, limit the amount per week or total paid. Occasional rewards are fine, but again keep them small - children are happy with post-it note pads, pencils, etc. 
3. TV. Limit viewing - watching tv often 'pysches' children up.
4. Teach children careful dressing - what is appropriate for different occasions, what goes with what.
5. Limit the number of different after school activities - they need time to be themselves. Accept they may try things out one after another before settling on specific long-term ones.
6. Discipline outside the home. Try whispering as it really seems to get a child's attention - bring the child close to you and whisper quietly and calmly what it is they are doing wrong and why they must behave. Try this at home as well.

Tomatoes

Sow: March in pots indoors; plant seedlings outside in May to June.

Aspect: Rich soil and sunny site.

Care: Stake when planting. Cloches and other protection will help establish in cold, windy weather. Feed weekly when in flower. Nip out sideshoots; pots these up to make extra, good, squat plants.

Water: Young plants - regularly to establish. Then 2 to 3 times a week when flowering and fruiting.

Ripening: It takes 6 to 8 weeks from pollination to maturity. 

• Do not remove leaves in an effort to ripen fruit. 
• Tomatoes do not need light to ripen.
•   The optimum temperature for ripening is 21 to 24 C. If temperature exceeds 29 to 32 C, ripening slows significantly or even stops, as fruit exposed to direct sunlight will heat to levels that inhibit pigment synthesis. 
• Slowness to ripen is unlikely to be due to soil conditions not indicate need for fertilizer.

Harvest:

• For best flavour, allow to ripen fully on plant.
• Freeze whole: plunge frozen tomatoes in hot water and skins will slip off.
• Make into tomato sauce and freeze.
• Make and freeze ratatouille (1 aubergine, 1 onion, 3/4 lb tomatoes). Do not add garlic at this stage; add when thawing and re-heating as it will taint other frozen items.

Don't grow by: Cabbages, fennel, potatoes, peas, beans, beetroot and brassicas.

Food Rescue

Something not quite right with your soup or stew? Here's the remedy.

Too spicy? Try adding a squirt of honey.

Too sweet? Add some vinegar or citrus juice.

Too strong in flavour? Dull with a drizzle of cream.

Too salty? Add a peeled, raw potato and cook for 15 minutes, then discard it after if has absorbed the excess salt.

Too greasy? Throw in a few ice cubes, leave for a few seconds, then pull them out; the fat is attracted to the ice and solidifies around it.

Carrots

Sow: March onwards, every 3 to 4 weeks up till late May. Try sowing beside spring onions to deter carrot fly.

Aspect: damp, well-drained soil. Too uhc organic matter and/or stones can cause 'forking' of roots.

Care: Thin if over-crowded - in the evening to reduce risk of attracting carrot fly.

Water: Only in very dry spells, then drench every 2 weeks.

Pest control: Carrot fly - (1) sow early or late in season, (2) try barrier methods - carrot fly does not fly higher than 12" from ground, or (3) try planting spring onions alongside.





Harvest: When large enough.

Don't grow by: Parsnips, radishes or dill.

Cut Fuel Bills

• Turn down your thermostat by one degree and save around £60 from the average energy bill.
• Not leaving  appliances on standby will save the average household £35 a year.
• Sticky window strips, door draught excluders and inflatable chimney draught stoppers are all low cost, DIY ways to conserve heat and save more than £100 a year.
• Make sure your loft insulation is adequate.

Drying Out a Mobile Phone

Dropped your smartphone in the bath? Try this:

•  Turn off the phone straight away, even if it still seems to work - because water likes creating circuits inside the phone that shouldn't be there, ultimately damageing your phone.
• Next, go into the kitchen, bury the phone in a bowl of uncooked rice, and place the bowl at the back of the airing cupboard for at least 36 hours. 
• The rice draws the moisture out of the phone - and will hopefully save your device.

Mobile phone insurance may seem like an unnecessary expense, but if you are tied into a mobile phone company contract, they won't sell you another subsidised phone, and you'll be faced with paying a large sum to replace it or to repair it. You may have mobile phone insurance included as an 'extra' with your bank account, so check this out.

A final tip - don't use your phone in the bath.

Will Guyatt, Gadget Guy column in the Wiltshire Times, 29 Aug. 2014

Travel Tips - Toiletries

The current ban / restrictions on liquids in hand luggage on air flights includes shower gel, shampoo, mascara and toothpaste, so try solid versions of these products instead.

• Glycerine soap (e.g. Waitrose Organic)
• Shampoo bars (e.g. Lush Ultimate Shine and Lush Conditioner)
• Rock deodorant (e.g. Crystal travel size)

Pack dry cosmetics too: compact eye make-up, eye pencil and powder blush.

Courgettes

Sow: Indoors and plant out end of May or early June. Large plants - they can spread up to 3ft. Sow seed on edge and just cover; seedling will push seed out of compost, otherwise they will rot.

Aspect: very sensitive to frost. Do best with rich soil. Plant on slight mound so excess rain does not rot stem.

Care: Feed with dilute tomato feed once a week. Earleist flowers may need hand-pollination.

Water: Regularly - a weekly good soak is better than lesser daily amounts. Over-watering encourages leaf growth over fruit production.

Harvest:

•  Pick regularly to encourage cropping. If going away pick all flowers and fruits.
• Can freeze courgettes whole - use within 6 months.
• Over-abundant male flowers - pick when just open and remove stamen, wash and stuff, dip in a light batter and fry till golden. Good stuffings are (a) feta cheese & mint or (b) cooked rice, grated cheese & herbs.

Eye Problems

Dry Eyes are relatively common, especially if you forget to blink when concentrating on your work or computer screen. It can also be caused by reduced tear production; this becomes more common with increasing age. The standard treatment of lubricating eye drops known as artificial tears, can be successful but may need to be used frequently. Nutrition: increasing your intake of oily fish, or taking an omege 3 fish oil supplement may help.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a painless, progressive disorder associated with reduced levels of carotenoid pigments in the macula - the part of the retina responsible for fine vision. These yellow pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, filter out harmful blue light and help to neutralise the damaging chemicals produced during light detection. Reduced pigment levels lead to increased cell damage and subsequently to a widening circle of visual distortion and even blindness. It typically obliterates words when you try to read and blanks out someone's face when you look straight at them. Nutrition: People with higher intakes of dietary sources of lutein (dark-green, yellow and orange fruit and vegetables) have at least a 60% loweer risk of developing AMD than those with low intakes. Lutein supplements (10mg daily - five times the average daily dietary intake) can improve vision for people with some forms of AMD.

Cataracts are opacity in the normally crystal clear eye lens, caused by changes in lens proteins (similar to those that turn cooked egg white from clear to cloudy) with increasing age. This results in blurring, sensitvity to sun glare, changes in colour perception and seeing haloes around light. Cataracts are worsened by exposure to ultraviolet light. Nutrition: People with higher intakes of antioxidents (especially vitamins C, E and lutein) are less likely to develop cataracts. Vitamin B2 helps to maintain eye levels of an important antioxidant 'glutathione', which may inhibit cataract formation.

Presbyopia is a form of long-sightedness that develops as part of the normal ageing process. Each eye lens thickens and becomes less elastic so it is increasingly difficult to focus on near objects. The first symptoms usually occur around age 45, when you may need to start wearing spectacles for close work such as reading or sewing.

Glaucoma is a condition in which fluid pressure in the eye is high enough to cause damage, compressing small blood vessels that nourish the optic nerve. It may lead to loss of vision or even blindness. The most common eye disorder in people over 60, and is responsible for 15% of blindness in the UK.

Dr Sarah Brewer in Healthspan magazine, September 2011

Blended Family Christmases

With divorce and remarriage families are now likely to include step-parents and step-children and half-siblings - resulting in the potential minefield of who sees who and when at Christmas. There are no solutions that fit all families, you'll need to find what works for your circumstances but here are some things to consider.

• Children stay with one of their parents from 24 December to 26 December and with the other from 29 December to New Year's Day, alternating the arrangement each year.
• Some years grandparents could join you, and others you might go visiting.
• Don't try and fit in visits to too many relatives in a short time, especially if this involves driving some distance.
• Treat children fairly - but this does not necessarily mean equally. Suggest a grandparent put money in a child's bank account rather than a wrapped present as this is less obvious to step-siblings.
• If you are celebrating Christmas Day on another day, suggest that visiting family with children keep back some of their presents to bring with them for unwrapping rather than just watch your children open lots of presents. (Do this yourselves if the situation is reversed.)
• Present yourselves as a whole family - send cards signed by all the step-children and gradually the wider family will treat you that way.
• Don't assume other people will know what to do - tell them. It is likely to still be an unfamilar situation for many people.
• Be realistic - don't attempt to spend Christmas Day with your or a partner's ex to please the children - it rarely works and the children will sense it.

Lisa Sykes and Lisa Doodson in Good Housekeeping, January 2014

Supplement Know How

DO
Timing: Most supplements are best taken immediately after food, to take advantage of secreted stomach acids (just a few bites will do). If you have not eaten for more than 20 minutes, wait until you have a snack/juice before taking them.
Timing: One-a-day vitamin and mineral supplements are usually best taken after your evening meal as repair processes are greatest at night but some are better at other times of the day.

• Morning: B vitamins, Co-enzyme Q10 (ideally with a meal and avoid taking before you go to bed), Iron (avoid taking with coffee or tea as can affect absorption)
• Midday: Iodine, Vitamin D (best with a meal; no later than early afternoon)
• Afternoon: Zinc (take with food as it can cause nausea on an empty stomach),
• Evening/Night: Calcium (best used by the body at night), Magnesium (a relaxant, so take before you go to bed)
• Anytime: Fish oils (with a meal to aid absorption), Vitamin K, Vitamin C (best taken in split doses)

Timing: However, if a dose consists of two or more tablets, spreading them throughout the day is best to maximise absorption and even out blood levels.
+ Liquid: Wash supplements down with water or fruit juice. If the tablet is large, place on tongue lengthways to help swallowing. Using a sports bottle where you suck the liquid may also help.
+ Food: Take fat soluble supplements (e.g. co-enzyme Q10, evening primrose oil, fish oils and vitamins A, D, E and K) with food containing some fat (e.g. milk).
Size: Some tablets need to be quite large to supply adequate amounts of the nutrients. Many supplement companies now offer different systems such as liquids, soluble/chewable tablets and tasty bars, milkshakes or soups as alternatives
Storage: Supplements should normally be stored in a cool, dry place out of sight and reach of children. (Hot, humid places, such as the bathroom or kitchen, can cause the nutrients to start breaking down, though this is becoming less of a problem with the move to foil-sealed blister packs.)
DON'T
Timing: Don't take supplements with hot drinks (especially tea and coffee) as these can interfere with absorption and increase the loss of other minerals from the body. In the case of probiotics, heat can destroy the live micro-organisms.
Timing: Don't take fish oils in the morning before you have eaten as the essential fats will be used by the body for energy rather than utilised for key functions.
+ Food: Don't take supplements with grapefruit juice. Although the effects of grapefruit juice has not been invetigated with nutritional supplements, in the case of prescribed drugs, the juice greatly increased blood levels of the medication.
Missed dose: Don't double up if you miss a dose, but just take it at the next convenient time.
Recommended dose: Don't exceed he recommended dose on the packaging, unless suggested by and under the supervision of your doctor.
Check with doctor: Don't take any supplements if you are taking any prescribed medication, until you have checked with your doctor.

Healthspan magazine, Spring 2014

Tummy Massage

A nightly tummy massage can be helpful in dealing with bloating and aiding digestion. Do the following moves lying on your bed, for three to five minutes before going to sleep. Always work clockwise, in the direction of the large intestine and colon; use a cream or balm if you wish.

• Gently place your hands on your stomach and stroke in a circular motion five times, applying a little more pressure on every circuit.
• Trace your hands in a circle again, making light kneading movements with your knuckles. Repeat five times.
• Gently stroke the stomach but use the fingers to apply light to medium pressure (as if you are making waves on the stomach). repeat five times.
• Finish by kneading the sides of the abdomen and gently applying an upward pressure on the stomach, from the base to the rib cage, with flat hands. Repeat three times.

Katherine Mackenzie Paterson in Good Housekeeping, May 2010

Tag Clouds

Tags are keywords attached to web pages or websites. Initially they were always displayed as simple alphabetical lists, but now there are other options.

One is Wordle,which generates 'word clouds' from text you provide. Words that appear more frequently are given more prominence. You can tweak the clouds with different fonts, layouts and colour schemes. The images you create are yours to use however you like.

Another is Tagxedo, which does the same thing and has a great variety of options.

Ethical Fashion

There is increasing interest in ethical fashion. I haven't tried any of these yet myself, but intend having a look at them before too long.

Fabrics to look out for:

• Regenerated natural fibres: Tencel, Lyocell
• Hemp derivative: Crailar

To avoid chemicals at dry cleaners
Green Earth Cleaners at Johnson's dry cleaning chain

Fashion Brands
People Tree ~~ Anatomy ~~ From Somewhere ~~ Edun ~~ PeaceSilk ~~ Terra Plana shoes

Re-cycling

• Junky Styling: a London company that re-tailors your old clothes.
• TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development). Look for their lime green bins to donate unwanted clothing. Shop for remade items online or at their shops in London. 

Marjoram - Oregano

Sow: Buy small plants in March as seed germinates erratically.

Aspect: Sunny, warm spot with light, well-drained soil. Thrives on chalky soil. Loved by bees.

Care: On established plants, cut back old stems in autumn after flowering or in March.

Water: Not needed.

Harvest: Dries well.use with tomato, cheese and fish dishes.

Crops for Partial Shade

If you your garden does not enjoy a great deal of full sun, there are still a number of fruit and vegetables that you can grow in partial shade.

• Chard and Perpetual spinach
• Peas and Beans (in very light shade)
• Radishes
• Salad leaves and lettuce
• Spring onions
• Currants
• Gooseberries
• Rhubarb